Negotiations chap010 multiple parties and teams

Situations that InvolveMultiple Parties • Dynamics change when groups, teams, and task forces have to present individual views and come to a collective agreement about a problem, plan

Multiple Parties

and Teams

McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc All rights reserved.

Situations that Involve

Multiple Parties

• Dynamics change when groups, teams, and

task forces have to present individual views

and come to a collective agreement about a

problem, plan, or future course of action.

A General Model for

a Multiparty Negotiation

The Nature of Multiparty

Negotiations

Differences between two-party and

multiparty negotiations:

• Number of parties

• Informational and computational complexity

• Social complexity

• Procedural complexity

• Strategic complexity

What Is an Effective Group

in a Multiparty Negotiation?

Effective groups and their members:

What Is an Effective Group

in a Multiparty Negotiation?

Effective groups and their members (continued)

10 Discuss “undiscussable” issues

11 Keep discussions focused

12 Avoid taking cheap shots or distracting the group

13 Expect participation by all members in all phases of the

process

14 Exchange relevant information with nongroup members

15 Make decisions by consensus

16 Conduct self-critiques

Managing Multiparty

Negotiations

Three key stages that characterize multilateral

negotiations.

• The prenegotiation stage

– Characterized by many informal contacts among the parties

• The formal negotiation stage

– Structures a group discussion to achieve an effective and endorsed result

• The agreement phase

– Parties select among the alternatives on the table

The Prenegotiation Stage

• Establish participants

• Form coalitions

• Define group member roles

• Understand the costs and consequences of no

agreement

• Learn the issues and construct an agenda

The Prenegotiation Stage

Agendas can be effective decision aids:

• Establish the issues that will be discussed

• Define how each issue is discussed

• Set the order in which issues are discussed

• Introduce process issues (decision rules,

discussion norms, member roles, discussion

dynamics), and substantive issues

• Assign time limits to various items

The Formal Negotiation Stage

• Appoint an appropriate chair

• Use and restructure the agenda

• Ensure diversity of information and perspectives

– Key process steps:

• Collect thoughts and composure before speaking

• Understand the other person’s position

• Think of ways both parties can win

• Consider the importance of the issue

• Remember parties will likely work together in the future

The Formal Negotiation Stage

• Ensure consideration of all available

information

– The Delphi technique

• An initial questionnaire, sent to all parties, asking for input

– Brainstorming

• Define a problem and generate as many solutions

as possible without criticizing any of them – Nominal group technique

• Brainstormed list of solutions ranked, rated, or evaluated

The Formal Negotiation Stage

• Manage conflict effectively

• Review and manage the decision rules

• Strive for a first agreement

• Manage problem team members

– Be specific about problem behaviors

– Describe problem as team problem (use “we” versus

“you”)

– Focus on behaviors the other can control

– Wait to give constructive criticism

– Keep feedback professional

– Verify that the other has heard and understood

The Agreement Phase

• Select the best solution

• Develop an action plan

• Implement the action plan

• Evaluate outcomes and the process

The Agreement Phase

Group chair or facilitator steps in moving toward a

successful completion:

– Move the group toward selecting one or more of the

options

– Shape and draft the tentative agreement

– Discuss whatever implementation and follow-up

needs to occur

– Thank the group for their participation, hard work

and efforts

– Organize and facilitate the postmortem